Man arrested for setting afire 8 vehicles after spat with kin

A 23-year-old-man was Monday arrested for allegedly burning eight vehicles over a petty fight in Thane's Lokmanya Nagar area, police said.

Locals saw smoke near a bus stop in Lokmanya Nagar and informed the authorities around 3 am about four two-wheelers and as many auto-rickshaws burning, Thanes regional disaster management cell (RDMC) chief Santosh Kadam said.

RDMC officials and fire brigade personnel rushed to the spot and doused the flames, he said.

Senior Inspector S M Patil of Shrinagar police station identified the arrested accused as Ajay Gumbak, a resident of Warlipada here.

She said Gumbak's father had bought a motorcycle recently which was being used by the accused's uncle.

"Gumbak's uncle was paying the loan instalments of the two-wheeler. The accused went to him to ask for the motorcycle and the latter refused," the official said.

Enraged, the accused, in the early hours of Monday, set the motorcycle ablaze, resulting in seven other vehicles in the vicinity catching fire, Patil said.